Golf-bag support



Dec.v 3, 1929.

w. H. GUNTHER GOLF. BAG -SUPPORT Filed July 28. 1928 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented' Da. 3, 1929 PATENr OFFICE WILLIAM H. GNTHER, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA GOLF-BAG SUPPORT Application led July 2S,

My invention relates to'a new and useful golf bag support which isparticularly adapted for use on the links'to maintain the bag in asubstantially upright position while the ,5, golfer is making each shot,and thereby to facilitate the exchange and replacement of, and thegeneral access to the clubs contained in the bag.

lt has been the practice heretofore, in the y@ absence of a caddy, tothrow or lay the bag down on the ground prior to making a shot, and whenit was desired to exchange or replace a club, it was necessary to stoopor bend down to pick up the bag and hold it up while i the exchange isbeing effected.

To obviate these disadvantages, l have devised a novel golf bag support,which will maintain thefgolf bag in an upright position while the golferis playing, and one which se will automatically fold up against orparallel 25 practicably and eectively without regard to the surface ortopography of the turf on which the bag is supported.

My invention further relates to a novel golf bag support which is of anextremely se simple, vdurable and linexpensive construction, and whichrequires no skill or effort in its manipulation.

My invention further relates to anovel support which may be detachablyor permanently attached to a golf bag, and which can be manufactured andsold independently of the golf bag proper.

Vllo the above ends, my invention consists of a plate secured to theupper, outer edge of le the bag, two legs hinged to the bottom of saidplate, tension means for retaining said legs parallel with and close tothe body of the bag when the device is not in use, and manually operatedmeans for distending said legs to form a tripod support with and forsaid bag, when the latter is in a substantially upright position.

For the purpose of illustrating my inven tion, I have shown one formthereof which is 50 at present preferred by me since it will give 1928.Serial No. 295,928.

in practive satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to beunderstood that the various instrumentalities of which my inventionconsists may be variously arranged and organized and that Vmy inventionis not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of theseinstrumentalities as herei-n shown and described.

l In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l represents a perspectiveview of a golf bag equipped with thenovel support embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents on an enlarged scale, a side elevation of the upperportion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 certain parts beingshown in elevation.

Fig. 4 represents a section on line t-Li of Fig. 2 certain parts beingshown in elevation.

Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of the upper supporting plate formingpart of my invention, shown detached.

Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary sectional view, similar to that shown in Fig. 4 showing a modified form of my invention.

Fig. if represents a fragmentary sectional view similar to that shown inFig. 3, showing a modified form of .my invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters designatelike parts, 1 designates a golf bag of any conventional construction, tothe upper, outer end of 'which is secured the supporting plate 2 by thescrews 3, passing through the holes Il and engaged bythe nuts 5, itbeing understood that the manner of securing the plate 2 to the upper,outer edge of the bag 1 is entirely optional.

The plate 2 is provided with the central, bottom hinges 8 Aand thebottom, slightly offset end hinges 9, all of which are preferably formedintegral therewith, as will be best understood from Fig. 5. The plate 2is further provided with` the upper, apertured lugs 10 hereinafterreferred to. 12 designates a lever having the upper thumb piece 13 andthe bottom boss `14 through which passes the transverse bar or pin 15.The lever 12 is f.

hinged or fulcrumed to the plate 2 by the pin 17 which passes throughthe boss 16 and the hinges 8 as will be clearly seen from Figs. 2, 3 and4. `18 designates two legs which are shorter than the bag 1 and which'are provided with the upper enlarged portions 19 which have theinwardly extending apertured lugs 20 which are hinged or pivoted to theend hinges. 9 of the plate 2 by the pins 21, best seen in Figs. 2, 3 and4. The upper enlarged portions 19 of the legs 18 are provided with theupper seats 22 in which seat the lower portions of the springs 23, theupper ends of which abut yagainst the washers 24on the underside of theupper lugs 10. The upper ends of the springs 23 are held in position bythe screws 25 passing through the lugs 10, or their equivalent. Theseats 22 are provided with the upper recesses or slots 26 which permitthe lower ends of the legs 18 to be deflected outwardly whenl the lever12 is actuated, by affording the requisite amount of playv for the upperportions of the springs 23 whenA the latter are compressed by themanipulation of the lever 12 and its adjuncts.

The operation is as follows: If, when the device is in the normal,inoperative position, that is, with the legs 18 folded close up againstand parallel with the body of the bag 1, the thumb piece 13 of the lever12 is pressed inwardly towards the top of the bag, the lower end of thelever 12, carrying the transverse pin 15 is pressed -outwardly againstthe upper portions 19 of the legs 18, thus deflecting the latter,against the tension of the springs 23, into the positions shown inFig. 1. Inthis position the bag 1 is maintained in a slightly inclinedor substantially upright position. Vhen the bag is lifted from theground, the tension of the springs 23 compressed by the extension of thelegs 18, will automatically retract the legs 18 into their normalposition, close to, and parallel with the-body of the bag 1, as will beseen from Fig. 3. The legs 18, cooperating with bag 1, form a tripodsupport which is stable, and which when not in use does not occupy anyadditional space or appreciably add to the weight or size of the bag. Itis further evident that my novel support needs no special skill ininstallation or manipulation, since by merely positioning the bag on theground and pressing inwardly upon the thumb piece 13, the legs 18 areinstantly and automatically distended into their operative position seenin Fig. 1, said legs being also automatically and instantly withdrawninto their normal, inoperative and out of the 4way position against thebody of the bag 1, by the action of the springs 23 which are released bylifting the bag from the ground.

It is also apparent'that my novel support is a separate and independentarticle which canl be applied to golf bags now in use or which can bespecified as standard equipment on bags manufactured in the future. Dueto the simplicity and durability of my novel support, it will outlive abag to which it is applied and canin that event be detached and appliedto a new bag unequipped with a suport.

p In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form of my invention, wherein thewashers 21 are rigidly secured to the lower portion of the screws 25, sothat by manipulating the latter, the tension of the springs 23 may beregulated and adjusted, it being understood that the screws 25 arethreaded in the lugs 10 and that the upper ends of the springs 23 bearagainst the washers 24 as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified form of my invention wherein I employa supporting plate 2 of a U shaped formation which may be clamped ontothe upper edge of the bag 1 and secured thereto without the necessity ofdrilling holes and without the use of the screws 3 or any otherfastening means, thus rendering my novel support more easily andcompletely detachable.

I am aware that my invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and Itherefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appendedclaims rather" than to the foregoing description to indicate the scopeof the invention.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character stated, a plurality of legs adapted tobe hinged to a golf bag, springs bearing upon the upper ends of saidlegs, a lever fulcrumed between said legs and a transverse pin carriedby said lever below the fulcrum thereof, and bearing upon the upper,inner portions of said legs to actuate the latter.

2. In a device of the character stated, a plurality of legs adapted tobe hinged to the upper portion of a golf bag, seats in the upper ends ofsaid legs, springs having their lower ends positioned in said seats andtheir upper ends abutting against fixed points, a lever fulcrumedbetween said legs and a transverse pin carried by said lever below thefulcrum thereof, and bearing upon the upper inner, portions of said legsto actuate the latter, the upper ends of said spring seats beingrecessed to permit the lower ends of said legs to be actuated outwardlyupon the actuation of said lever.

3. In a device of the character stated, a supporting plate adapted to besecured to the upper portion of a golf bag, a plurality of legs hingedto said plate, tensioning devices for normally maintaining said legsfolded against and parallel to the body of said bag and means foractuating said legs into angullO liti

verse pin bearing' against the inner, upper portion of said legs toactuate the latter.

4L... In a device of the character stated, a supporting plate adapted tobe secured to the outer, upper edge of a golf bag, a plurality of legshinged to said plate, tensioning devices for normally maintaining saidlegs foldedl 'against and parallel to said bag, and a lever ulcrumed tosaid plate and carrying a lower' transverse pin for actuating said legsinto angular positions with respect to said bag against the force ofsaid tensioning means, said legs `being shorter than said bag.

WILLIAM H. GNTHER.

